Are diamonds in old rings worth anything?

Usually, yes: the diamonds in an old ring are still worth something, but how much has far less to do with the ring's age than most people expect. A diamond does not gain or lose value simply by being fifty years old. It is valued on the same four factors as a stone cut last month, and the metal setting around it is valued through a completely different process. Understanding both sides is the key to getting a fair number for an inherited or long-forgotten ring.

What actually sets a diamond's value

Diamonds are graded on the 4 Cs: carat weight, cut, color and clarity. Carat is the size, cut is how well the stone was shaped to return light, color runs from colorless down through faint yellow or brown, and clarity describes the internal flaws and surface blemishes. Two stones of identical weight can be worth wildly different amounts depending on the other three, which is why there is no per-gram or spot price for diamonds the way there is for gold and silver. A laboratory report from GIA or a similar grading lab, if the ring came with one, makes the stone easier to value and easier to sell, but it is not required for an evaluation.

Where age can help

Genuinely vintage cutting styles do carry their own following. Old European cuts, Old Mine cuts, rose cuts and other hand-finished styles from the late 1800s and early 1900s have a softer, chunkier sparkle that collectors of antique jewelry actively seek out, and a well-preserved example set in an original mounting can command a premium above what the 4 Cs alone would suggest. That premium depends on the stone being a recognizable period cut in good condition, not simply on the ring being old.

Where age does not help

Many older rings carry a small center stone surrounded by even smaller accent diamonds. Individually those accent stones have modest value, because tiny diamonds are plentiful and expensive to remove and remount. Chips, abrasions on the facet edges and worn prongs that have let a stone loosen also reduce what a buyer can pay. In a lot of vintage rings, the gold or platinum mounting turns out to be worth as much as or more than the diamonds it holds, especially with gold trading around $4,166.71 per troy ounce.

Why the metal and the stones are valued separately

The setting is priced by weighing it and testing its purity against the live spot price; a gram of 14k gold, for example, is worth about $78.14 at today's market. The diamonds are examined, measured and graded on their own. Neither number tells you anything about the other, which is why it pays to have both evaluated together by a buyer who does both rather than assuming the ring's value is all in the stone or all in the band.

• Look for a purity stamp such as 14k, 18k, 585, 750 or Plat inside the band.
• Gather any paperwork: an old appraisal, a receipt or a lab report.
• Do not remove stones yourself; a buyer can value them in the setting, and prongs are easy to damage.

We evaluate the setting and every stone in it for free, with no obligation to sell. Bring your ring in or start an evaluation here, or ship it insured through our mail-in program. If the stone is loose, see our diamond buying page.